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Despite being in what is one of the coolest cities I've ever visited, it feels good to be back home in San Diego. Ironically, the weather in Portland, OR was better than the weather in San Diego. Well, I lie. It did rain yesterday morning in Portland, but just a little. It totally poured earlier this evening at home!

I haven't posted my photos yet. That's going to take some time and this week is going to be pretty busy for me, so it may be a couple weeks. Maybe less.

Stuff that happened today:

I kind of freaked out because I could have sworn I ran over a squirrel. We live near a canyon where all kinds of animals roam around. A tiny patch of green near our home is right by the canyon and brush by a huge water tower where rabbits, quail, roadrunners, and squirrels live. One of those damn squirrels ran across the street and I hit the brakes. I thought I felt the tiniest bump. In the rear view mirror, I thought I saw the squirrel's crushed body but I wasn't too sure since the car was still moving. My daughter was saying, "You didn't mean to do it, if you did it!". Like a heartless bastard, I continued on our errand when I probably should have stopped to see if I did kill it or not. Our errand was close to home and return trip less than 30 minutes later, we passed by the road again. No squirrel carcass. What a relief! I guess I didn't run it over after all. Ummm, unless one of those big black ravens or whatever they're called, ate it that quickly. I have never run over a living thing in my life and just the thought of it made me queasy. I probably should have stopped and gone back, but I didn't. I feel kind of bad about that.

Later that day, I went to BevMo to get this craft brew that Bert enjoyed in Portland. It's called Rogue Chocolate Stout which is from Portland. Another kind of beer I bought was Young's Double Chocolate Stout (recommended by SD Foodblogger Roger of the Fifth Deadly Sin- this one's from the U.K.). Anyhow, after BevMo, I went to Pier 1 to look around. They were playing some good old school music in there, which is the point of my story. So, the song "Grooveline" by Heatwave is on and I can hear this Mexican guy talking to one of the young worker girl's there, "Yeah, I think this song is by the Dazz Band or by Earth, Wind & Fire". Okay...anyone over 35 with half a brain should know that "Grooveline" is by Heatwave. What is y'all? An idjut? So of course, the music geek in me steps in and I gently correct him.

"Actually, the group is Heatwave. This is the same group that did "Boogie Nights" and "Always and Forever" which is from their 1977 album, "Too Hot to Handle". (Unfortunately at the time, I couldn't name the album "Grooveline" was on, but for trivia's sake, it's from their 1978 follow up album, "Central Heating").

The guy said, "Thanks! Man, how do you know all that? Are you a DJ?"

"No, I just know my music." (WTF, am I a DJ?)

"Well, I should've known that was Heatwave" (Duh)

"I'm sure you know your old school!" (And I meant this in a complementary way, but also because the dude was at least in his late 40's or early 50's and should have known this shit)

The dude wasn't insulted or anything. In fact, a few minutes later, he came up to me and said, "Okay, who's this?" (meaning what song and group were playing)

Without missing a beat, I replied, "The Brothers Johnson - Stomp". (too easy)

I don't know about you, but if I like something, I KNOW it. I know who sang it, the band member's names, what year it came out and what album it was on. If I really like it, then I know if it was side A or side B and the song order. But I'm not that anal. Most of the time...

Got a used iPod mini online a few weeks ago. It's a discontinued model but I wanted one becuase I had a Tokidoi iSkin that I got on clearance. Anyhow, it's only 6g and I have close to 2,000 songs, which is nowhere near the massive amount of shit I actually have. We brought it to Portland with us and played "Name that Tune" which was pretty fun. I've been listening to my stuff in the car. It's kind of funny because it's mixed in with some of TC's stuff, like (cringe), the Jonas Brothers, the soundtracks to "High School Musical" and its sequel, as well as The Naked Brothers Band. I had to remember to take out any overtly profane songs which eliminates a lot of my heavy metal stuff, unfortunately. When it's on shuffle, it's pretty hilarious to hear Hall & Oates' "Kiss on My List" play right after an Iron Maiden ditty. There were some songs on there that I hadn't heard in years but I have them anyways (thank you Napster and Limewire), like the J. Geils Band's "Flamethrower", Eddie Money's "I Think I'm in Love", and Kool & the Gang's "Too Hot"....Throw in some Metallica, Skid Row, King's X and I'm good to go!